Besides a heat index of 105*, feeling dead while drenched in sweat and lungs feeling bogged down with boulders, I was still awakened with bouts of inspiration. After speaking with musicians that have been enlisted for this trip and really taking a deep look into the enormous amount of work that goes into Warped, that tour seems so ungodly grueling, yet, I would still give anything to be on it. From the long drives, lack of showers/sleep, total exhaustion, performing in ridiculously hot weather with merely one day off out of 50some sounds…perfect!
I did say that this would be the last year that I would attend Warped Tour as a listener and I mean it. Play or bust.

And while writing that last line, I came to realize that I am in sort of a crossroads in my life. As it stands, I can decide to take the easy road out (and by that, I truly mean out), continue to build a solid clientele in the salon, live comfortably on my income, settle down in a nice home and even start a family. The other road is much less dignified. In fact, that shit isn’t even paved. In the pebbles of the gravel lays many uncertainties concerning stability, health, relationships and a fortified future. This road would kamikaze me straight for my dreams.

So I can prance barefoot down the path of least resistance, humming pretty songs all the way to retirement, or I can lace up my fucking boots and scream and shout all the way to music hell.

Nothing has ever enticed me to give up my freedom and we all know that it would take a divine intervention to shut me up, so maybe I never actually had much of a choice how to live…because I could die wondering “what if?” or I can die knowing that I tried.

Time to start hiking. This is going to be a long dirt trail.